Diosdado Pilotin Andallo

Fondly known as “Dado” by his friends and family, Diosdado Pilotin Andallo was born on July 6, 1960, in Buena Vista, Santiago City, Isabela, Philippines. He was the fifth of six children born to Gerardo (Tatang) Arcangel Andallo and Mercelina (Inang) Lopez Pilotin. His siblings were Valentina Pascua, Fely Regalado, Magdalena (Nena) Casuga, Carlos Andallo, and Zenaida (Neda) Andallo.

From a young age, Dado displayed a natural talent for mechanics, often fixing cars and farming machines simply by observing his father. One memorable instance was when a car broke down in the barrios—Dado ingeniously used pieces of wood to get the vehicle running well enough to return home. By the age of 10, he was already driving and taking on responsibilities like transporting his mother and siblings to purchase rice and helping operate the family’s rice mill.

Dado pursued his passion further by attending Manantan Vocational Technical School, specializing in diesel and gasoline mechanics. While in school, instructors would often rely on Dado to diagnose and fix mechanical issues that even they couldn’t resolve. His knowledge and instincts stood out so much that he was offered a teaching position at the school, which he humbly declined.

Dado later moved to Manila to attend Adamson University. On April 14, 1981, he immigrated to San Francisco with Fely and Nena, following their parents, Tina, Tatang, and Inang. Neda and Carlos joined them later. His first job in the U.S. was at Chevron, where he worked diligently and eventually welcomed his first daughter, Marissa.

After separating from Marissa’s mother, Dado briefly moved to Washington, where he continued working as a mechanic. During that time, he had his second daughter, Ember. The relationship ended, and Dado eventually returned to San Francisco. There, he met his future wife, Evelyn Mendoza. Together, they had two sons: Diosdado Jr. (Jon-Jon, Dio) and Dionathan (Nathan).

Dado worked at Image Body Shop before being offered a position as chief mechanic at FedEx, a testament to his mechanical expertise. After leaving FedEx, he went on to run his own mechanic business, where he made many friends and continued to do what he loved. At one point, he even went through training, got his Class A license, and got himself an 18-wheeler big rig—just another example of how driven and hands-on he was.

Dado was and always will be remembered as a loving son, brother, father, and husband. He was the life of the party—always helping with the cooking (well known for his dinuguan), singing, and playing the guitar, often accompanied by his brother Carlos. Dado had a kind heart, always saw the good in people, and never hesitated to share his knowledge with those eager to learn.